Soap

WE HAVE HORRIBLE JAPANESE BEETLES ON OUR PLANTS, BUT I KNOW IT'S LATE TO PUT GRUB KILLER ON MY LAWN. DO I NEED TO WORRY? Most lawns never have a grub problem, just the occasional grub here and there, even when beetle populations are high. Grass roots grow faster than grubs can eat, unless we're having a severe drought. Ironically, it's the irrigated lawn in the neighborhood that may have the worst grub problem, because Japanese beetles will flock to it at egg-laying time. Soft, moist soil makes egg-laying easier, and baby grubs will flourish there.

World domination in the pool was almost easy compared to complexities of household chores, figuring out how to put the right soap in the dishwasher, replacing the batteries in the fire alarm and trying to operate without cereal bowls on hand. Michael Phelps, thy name is improvisation. USA Swimming National Championships Today-Saturday, William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center, Irvine, Calif.

When word leaked two days ago that one of the top riders in the Tour de France had tested positive for some form of illegal performance enhancement, the first name that popped into my mind was Floyd Landis. It wasn't that I had any special knowledge of the tawdry inner workings of big-time international cycling. I just remembered how he had miraculously overcome a seemingly insurmountable time deficit in Stage 17 ... and, of course, we now live in an age when the natural reaction to any extraordinary athletic performance is to assume that whoever achieved it probably has spent some time in the same bathroom stall as Jose Canseco.

The smells of leather and saddle soap greet visitors to Bits and Bridles Saddlery, the 19-year-old horse-riding supply store on U.S. 40 in Ellicott City. The 4,400-square-foot store has everything an English-style rider would need, ranging from custom-made boots that run in excess of $1,000 to used saddles that can be as cheap as $100. Owner Steve Winick took over the business about 12 years ago, he said, and since then he has worked to turn the space into a destination for all English-style riders, from beginners to serious competitors.

Sure, you have your cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. But the annual Associated Black Charities gala is always so much more. You want a party with plenty of entertainment? The Hyatt Regency was the place to be. The evening began on the top floor, at a VIP party in the Pisces Lounge, with a spectacular view of the Inner Harbor. Then, folks descended for the main event. But, where to go first? Over in one corner, there was a jazz and blues supper club, with two bands alternating sets. In the main ballroom, you could dance to the Cab Calloway Orchestra, or take a break and enjoy a dinner buffet.

At 14, Taylor Knapp of Ellicott City is still a couple of years away from getting his driver's license. But when he's competing in the Soap Box Derby, he's allowed to get behind the wheel. And better yet, he's encouraged to go as fast as he can. Of course, the car has no engine, but that's a detail. "I just enjoy the speed," said Taylor, who was tossing a football with fellow racers Oliver Schaller, 10, and Sean Harrigan, 11, while their dads put the finishing touches on the cars last week.

While testing homespun garden remedies, Jeff Gillman admits he was most disappointed by discovering eggshells don't deter slugs. "I really expected eggshells to be the best thing ever," said the associate professor of horticultural science at the University of Minnesota. In his book, The Truth About Garden Remedies: What Works, What Doesn't and Why, Gillman shares his own experiments and other research. Even after his book was published, Gillman has continued to try to stop slugs in their tracks.

In a fictional town of Harmony, Fancy Crane is the hottest new fashion designer on the NBC soap opera Passions. All the rich and stylish people in Fancy's world would just kill for her clothes. But network officials are hoping that fans of the daytime drama will spend real dollars on Fancy Crane's flirty collection, which they started selling earlier this year. It's the first time a soap opera has launched a clothing line, Passions executives say. And some marketing experts are wondering why no one has thought of the idea before.

So you're selling soap and you want to broaden your brand's reach. What do you do? Buy a $2.5 million commercial spot during the Super Bowl and feature a beautiful, half-naked woman covered in suds? Not any more. Instead, you air a socially responsible spot that's supportive and respectful of women. Today, in a severe departure from custom for a Super Bowl broadcast, Dove plans to air a 45-second commercial that deals exclusively with self-esteem issues among girls. "Thinks she's ugly," the ad says under an image of a girl who looks despondent.

WHETHER YOU are rich or poor, young or old, wired or wireless, your trash stinks. It is part of the cycle of life. After expiration comes redolent decomposition, especially in August. Anyone caught downwind of a fragrant sanitation truck recognizes this aroma as part of a Maryland summer. Proust had cookies to link him to memories of his past, we have the bouquet of spent crabs and other leavings from the summer table. Part of our civic duty, our contribution to the commonwealth, is to donate waste, sometimes twice a week, to the municipal scrap heap.